Beyond bins and landfills: Why behaviour change matters for waste management in Pacific island communities
AARTI SEWAK, SAMEER DESHPANDE, SHARYN RUNDLE-THIELE AND FANG ZHAO |
As Pacific island nations grapple with growing waste challenges, attention is often focused on infrastructure, technology and regulation. While these are essential, new research from Fiji suggests that lasting improvements also depend on understanding and influencing human behaviour.
A study reviewing waste management programs implemented by five municipal councils in Fiji between 2000 and 2019 highlights both the potential and limitations of current approaches to encouraging recycling, composting and waste reduction.
Waste challenges in island communities
Small island developing states face unique waste management pressures. Limited land availability, growing urbanisation, tourism and climate-related vulnerabilities place significant strain on waste systems. In Fiji, only a small proportion of plastic waste is recycled, with much of the remainder ending up in landfills, waterways and coastal environments.
The impacts extend beyond pollution. Poor waste management threatens ecosystems, public health and livelihoods that depend on natural resources, making effective solutions increasingly important.
What is working?
The review examined programs targeting schools, households and market vendors, including school awareness campaigns, household composting initiatives, recycling programs and market-based composting schemes.
Several initiatives showed promise. The Home Composting Program provided subsidised compost bins and technical support to residents, while the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) Program increased recycling rates in some municipalities. Market composting initiatives also demonstrated the potential to divert significant amounts of organic waste from landfill.
These programs show that local councils are committed to promoting more sustainable waste practices. However, the study found opportunities to improve their long-term effectiveness.
The missing voice in program design
One of the most significant findings was the limited involvement of community members in the design of waste management initiatives.
Most programs relied on traditional awareness-raising activities such as door-knocking campaigns, printed materials and public information sessions. While these approaches can improve knowledge, they often overlook the practical barriers that influence behaviour.
The researchers found little evidence that students, households or market vendors were actively involved in shaping the programs intended to change their behaviour. As a result, opportunities may have been missed to develop solutions that better reflect local needs and circumstances.
The study suggests that participatory approaches, such as co-design and community consultation, could help create more relevant and effective programs. Drawing on local knowledge and lived experience can strengthen community ownership and improve long-term outcomes.
Applying behavioural science
The review also found that behavioural science remains underutilised in waste management planning.
None of the programs explicitly applied behaviour-change frameworks to guide program design or evaluation. Yet behavioural science offers valuable insights into why people adopt—or resist—new practices. Successful interventions increasingly combine education with other tools, including incentives, social norms, environmental design and digital engagement.
The researchers also noted that communication strategies need to evolve. While councils relied heavily on traditional media, residents increasingly prefer information delivered through social and digital channels, which offer greater opportunities for two-way engagement and feedback.
Looking ahead
The study concludes that effective waste management is about more than infrastructure and service delivery. Sustainable outcomes depend on understanding what motivates people, addressing barriers to participation and ensuring communities are involved in developing solutions.
For Pacific island nations, integrating behavioural science and stronger community engagement into waste management programs could help improve recycling and composting outcomes while creating initiatives that are better suited to local contexts. As waste challenges continue to grow, placing people at the centre of environmental solutions may prove just as important as any technological innovation.
AUTHORS
Aarti Sewak and Associate Professor Sameer Deshpande are members of the Griffith Asia Institute; Professor Sharyn Rundle-Thiele is from the Department of Tourism and Marketing, Griffith University; and Fang Zhao is from Strategy and Ops Consultancy, South Bank, VIC.
This article is a synopsis of the Journal article: Sewak, A., Deshpande, S., Rundle-Thiele, S., & Zhao, F. (2026). Creating effective waste management behavioural interventions: are municipal councils in small island developing states on track? Australasian Journal of Environmental Management, 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2026.2613043